Different
by aeshaw
Summary: To be not alike in character or quality;dissimilar;separate or distinct,various;not ordinary; unusual. Characters: Troy, Sharpay,Ryan and Chad. Tryan
1. It Starts at the Coffeeshop

**A/N: I'm using this as writing practice, so sorry if there are any mistakes**

**If you recognize it then I don't own it**

**Thanks **

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

It's the Saturday before senior year and Troy is enjoying the last of his summer in the local coffee house, Higher Ground. Sitting the corner of the dimly lit room the gang and him were joking, laughing, and enjoying each other's company.

Kelsi and Taylor are trying to explain the importance of chick flicks to Jason, making a university calculus class look simple. Chad is blowing straw wrappers at Zeke who does not notice his attention rather on Sharpay, Martha and Ryan's conversation on the opposite side of the circle. Gabriella was trying to have a conversation with Troy, but he was too wrapped up within in own thoughts to notice.

"So when are going to play with us again Ryan?" Jason's comment tore Troy from his thoughts bringing his attention to the group.

Ryan looks up not really hearing Jason through Sharpay's story. "Play what?"

Chad smiles as he turns to Ryan "Baseball! Man you were off the hook. I wish I had your arm. So you going to play with us again?" An awkward silence fell upon the group as they waited for Ryan response.

"Ryan does NOT play baseball!" Sharpay broke into the silence, her voice filled conviction.

"Yah he does!"

"Serious! Shar you should see him"

"He is even better than Chad!"

"Taylor!!!"

"What!? Its true"

"No!" Sharpay broke in, looking straight at her brother, who refuses to meet her gaze. "Ryan does not play baseball, you must be mistaken." There was something in her tone, that Troy couldn't place, desperation maybe?

"You obliviously don't know your brother very well, but after how you acted this summer that is not surprising" came Gabriella's bitter reply surprising him. Although they don't really talk about it, Troy assumed that everyone has moved on from what happened during the summer.

"Gabi" Taylor tried to cut in before things got out of hand.

"No, Taylor, Sharpay needs to know this. Ryan played at the staff baseball game. I don't see how it's a big deal." Gabriella's heated gaze could not be torn away from the blond twins. Was there something that Troy missed? When did Gabriella hate Sharpay so much? He quickly was trying to go over the events of the summer in his head to find a reason for his girlfriend sudden change.

"Ryan is this true" Sharpay was staring straight at her brother, who Troy noticed, still was looking at his hands both refusing to respond to Gabriella. When the silence continued, she spoke more forceful moving closer to her younger twin "Look at me!"

Ryan still refused to look at her, looking over Troy saw that Chad is just as stunned as he is. "Ryan! Look at me!" She moved so that she was standing over her brother, making her even more intimidating than Troy's father. "Ryan, I need to know the truth. Did you play that game?" Although this last part was quite, it was so harsh it made both Troy and Chad wince.

After a short pause, which felt like an eternity to everyone else, Ryan timidly looked up at Sharpay finally making eye contact, "I'm sorry" his voice cracked as he responded. "It was a mist--"

"He does not need to defend his actions to you!" Gabriella stood up.

"This is none of your business, Gabriella." whispered Sharpay still keeping eye contact with her brother.

"I thought I told you this before. You mess with my friends you mess with me. And the way that you are treating your broth--" Now when did that little conversation happen? Gabriella never mentioned this to Troy, who told her in detail everything that occurred between him and the Evans family as part of their promise to be truthful with each other.

"You know nothing of my brother. And it is not up to you to comment on my relationship with him" Sharpay tore her gaze away from her brother to Gabriella as if she was challenging her. The argument got so heated at this point Troy could do nothing but listen.

"Well if you treated like a human being and not as a fashion statement--"

"Do not tell me how to treat my brother, for someone so smart you act--"

"Act how Sharpay? I care about my friends."

"You don't care about Ryan you were only using him to get Troy back. Thinking that you were doing a good deed by hanging out with--"

"How dare you say that! You just can't believe that someone would rather hangout with Ryan over you! You're a self-possessed, over dramatic bitch! I-- "

"Can you take me home" A small voice causes everyone to freeze, Troy looks around the group trying to find out who spoke. "Please." Shit! It's Ryan, Troy forgot he was here, and by the looks he was getting from the gang he was not the only one.

"Sure, Troy can I borrow your truck?" Gabriella turns towards her boyfriend. Was Ryan even talking to her? "Troy?" Unsure of what to do he makes no move to grab the keys from his pocket.

"I meant with Sharpay" Gabriella froze in shock, she didn't expect that. She opens her mouth but Ryan cut her off before she has the chance to say a word. "Shar, can we finish this at home? I, uh, I just need to go home"

Sharpay's face softens at her brothers broken words, surprising Troy. She nods and with a quick turn of her heals, without a word to anyone she left the coffee shop, Ryan following quickly behind her. Leaving everyone wondering what the hell just happened.


	2. Time sucks

**A/N: Thanks for reviewing**

**See first page for disclaimer**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Later that night Troy, Gabi, Chad and Taylor were in Troy's living room watching movies. After the Evans left the coffee shop, everyone quickly followed as if they were trying to escape the awkward tension that now filled their small circle. Since arriving at Troy's house there has been very little conversation, the foursome pretending that their attention was on the movie and not what happened at the coffee shop.

"The nerve of her" Gabriella said with a slight hard tone, but to whom Troy is not sure. 

"What do you mean? She just saw her kids get killed. She has every right t--" Taylor responding about the character on the screen, before Gabriella interrupted.

"I meant Sharpay. How dare she say that stuff about me and then say that she cares for her brother after what happened this summer. I mean really," if possible the room became even tenser. The other three were glancing at one another arguing with their eyes about who responds. 

Whether she lost or because she was the bravest, Troy wasn't sure but Taylor was the one to respond. "What happened Gabi? That was so not like you."

"I'm just sick of her! All she does is walk over Ryan and then she pretends that she cares about him. And do not get me started on everything she pulled this summer."

Feeling the need to defend Sharpay, and Ryan for some unknown reason, Troy jumped into the conversation. "Come on Gabi. She was right when she said that you don't know anything about her relationship with her brother, from what I saw they actually get along really well. And you know that she apologized for what happened during the summer, she is just not used to getting rejected."

"So you're defending her now? You didn't see the way she acted toward her brother while you were under her spell. She treated him like dirt, took away the talent show from him and today she was trying to take away baseball. I will not let her treat my friends like that!"

"Are you friends with thou?" Chad talks for the first time since leaving the coffees hop. At Gabriella's bewildered look he continues "I mean how many times have you hung out with Ryan since the talent show? And have you had a real conversation with him about Sharpay? Cause if did you would know how much his family means to him. Have you seen his relationship with his Mom?" Chad raises his eyebrow challenging Gabriella to contradict him.

At first she looked speechless but she quickly collected her thoughts, "I am not talking about Ryan and his Mom, I am talking about Sharpay. You know more than anyone how horrible she was to him this summer."

"Yah, but Ryan said that is just how they fight. Only the Evans will make their fighting overly dramatic."

"No! She treats everyone as if they are below her and will do anything to get what she wants, not matter who she hurts! I cannot believe you think--" 

Troy trying to keep Gabi from saying something that she would regrets, asks her something that has been on his mind since the confrontation earlier that day. "This isn't about Ryan is it? This isn't even about Sharpay. You haven't gotten over what happen between us this summer have you?"

"Troy, this is about Sharpay! I told you I don't care about this summer--"

"But you do" Troy cutting her off and starting to get angry. "If you didn't care than you would have not caused a scene in that coffee shop. If you didn't care then you would not be trying to put yourself in between siblings. You have not forgiven me even if you said you have"

"Troy. Let me explain. I have forgiven you; it has been a very complicated summer for us. Your only questioning me because of the jealously you feel towards of my attention on Ryan"

"Why would I be jealous of Ryan? I know that he does not like you." Seeing her blank face Troy goes on, "Not only did he tell Chad that," he looks at Chad who nods in conformation. "But why would I be jealous of a guy who has been publically gay since freshmen year. What happening to you Gabi? Using a gay kid to make me jealous; that's low"

"It is not like that Troy I saw your face when you saw us together by the pool. I'm his friend and would never use him like that. You would know that if you paid any attention to me. There is never time for us to be together; to you there is always been something blocking us from being together! This is the first time that I will be going to the same school for more than a year and you don't even care!"

"That is not true Gabi and you know it! I do care about you but I cannot jeopardize my future to make you happy!" Troy was getting frustrated at this point. Not understanding when this change occurred in his normally prefect girlfriend.

"So Sharpay is more important than me because she is willing to have her father give you a university scholarship just so you will sing with her, for you seemed to have enough time for her!"

"Gabi! This is not about Sharpay! This is about me and you. We are not working. At least not as a couple." Troy says the last part quietly but the message is loud and clear.

"It's close to Taylor's curfew, so if you can excuse us" Troy forgot that Gabi and him were not alone in his living room. Sending a silent apology to his friends as they left Troy turns back to his girlfriend intending to finish the most important conversation that the couple has had.

"What do you mean?" Gabriella soft voice was too loud in the tense living room. The couple sits down on the couch next to each other, both unsure about when the stood up.

"I mean, Gabi, that I relationship should not be this hard. It took us how many months to kiss and even you can't say it was worth the build up."

"Are you breaking up with me?" Her voice cracking as the tears appear in her eyes.

"Maybe you were right that we need to go our own way, as a couple at least. We are good as friends and I do really like you." He pauses, "but this is not working for us."

"So you are breaking up with me? No! When I said those things before I was just hurt that you were spending too much time with Sharpay, I'll admit that I'm a bit jealous. But we can work through this! Everyone thinks we are the prefect couple. I kn--"

Troy cuts off her hysteric ramblings. "No Gabi. You were that night when you said that I've changed; I'm not the same person that I was in the beginning of the summer. I don't know what happened between the two of us but I know that we need some time apart."

"We belong together Troy! Please reconsider. I love you!" Her declaration catches Troy off guard. They have never said those words to each other before and Troy believes that this is not time to do so. "And I know that you do to, otherwise you wouldn't have wanted me back."

"No, Gabi, I don't love you." He puts up his hand to stop her from interrupting although the harsh words would have done fine on there own. "And I'm not saying that we will never date again. We just… We just need to take sometime on ourselves. Just to see if this is what we really want, you know; and if we are supposed to be together in time we will be."

"Troy, please…" 

"I think that it would be best if you leave now." He shifts his gaze to his hands and anywhere that was not his now ex-girlfriend.

Reaching out to grab his hand, trying to bring his gaze back to her "We can work through this! Don't let us fall apart; lets talk this through"

"No more talking. We need space. I need space. Please don't make this harder than it already is."

A couple minutes pass until Gabriella finally accepting that her perfect boyfriend broke up with her, grabs her purse and silently exits the living room, leaving Troy alone with his thoughts. When did his life get so screwed up? He knows that nothing is going to be the same for him anymore. Troy is having trouble believing that his life is going to be different because of an argument that started because of Ryan Evans. 


	3. That's so last year!

**A/N: Thanks for reivewing **

**I don't own anything that you recongize**

**Sorry if it isn't flowing, I'm having issues**

**Enjoy**

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

It has been several weeks since the confrontation with Gabriella in his living room and now school was back in full sing. Troy spent most of his days avoiding anyone and everyone; in fact the only person he talks to since that Saturday night is Chad. So it is no surprise to see the two of sitting together in the theater waiting for advanced acting to start. 

When Troy and Chad exchanged schedules Troy was surprised to find his anti-theatre friend to not only be in drama, but advanced acting a class he himself only was allowed admittance because of the winter musical.

"Hey, it's a GPA booster and it gets my mom off my back." Was Chad's response to his questioning expression, but he understood Chad's logic towards his family. Chad was the black sheep of his family, for he loved sports over the arts. His mother would give the Evans a run for their money on how much she loves musicals, his father is a part time jazz superstar in New Mexico always way on a gig and his older sister goes to the local art university. Chad's love of sports over the arts was a sore subject for his family and was part of the reason why he spends more time over at Troy's than at his own house.

"As you know today is the most important day of your young lives" Ms. Darbus' voice rang out over the room, over dramatic as usual. "Today is the day announce the groups that you will act in, making or breaking you, raising you up or letting you fall, a group that will either create shinnying stars or---" after the third metaphor Troy tuned out.

The group project was something that the whole class was on edge about, for it all depends on the group assigned to you by Darbus. Darbus made the class split into groups of two or three, where she will then assign one pair with another, making groups ranging from four to six people. Although Troy knew that Chad was going to be in his group (they being partners and all), he was worried that he might be paired with Gabriella and that would make avoiding her more difficult. 

"…Josh and Samuel. Group 3: Sarah, Kensie, Matt, Dylan and Jessica. Group 4: Troy," upon hearing his name, Troy attention is focused on his teacher all the while praying that he is not paired with Gabi's group. "Chad, Ryan and Sharpay. Group 5: Gabriella, Martha…" Well he's not paired with Gabriella, which is good, but being paired with the Evans is not exactly his first choice either. 

"As you know these are the groups that you will be doing your midterm performance so you have four short weeks to make a fabulous production! And remember this is the theatre where expectations are always high. Good luck!"

Troy turns to Chad, who seems to share his thoughts about this group, ready to find the rest of their group. Before they made it to the end of their aisle the Evans twins in front of them, Sharpay handing each boy a sheet of paper.

"Although this is not what we expected, I will make this work. As you see---"

"What is this?" Chad asks while holding up the paper. 

"Just the schedule we had made. So if--"

"You already have a schedule? We need to pick out a play first! Not to mention that Troy and I have basketball prac--"

"Taken care of." Sharpay replies looking at the basketball players as if she was explaining to five year olds. "As I was saying before," she gives Chad a dirty look, "we already have the play and the schedule is around your basketball. So we were thinking that I will play th--" 

"Wait. What? Basketball practice hasn't even started! So how did _you_ know the schedule? And how did you know that we were in your group cause you could not have made this right now?" Troy looks at the twins in confusion, wondering if he were missing something.

"I went to Darbus yesterday to find out who was in our group, and--"

"So you choose us?" Chad interrupts again; does he get a dollar every time he does that?

"No. We may have control over the drama club but not class, Danfroth. We went to Darbus to find out who is in our group so we can prepare. Found out it was you," Ryan smiles at the face she makes, "and went to your father to get the basketball schedule. Drama may not be important to you, but it is very important to us so we made sure that we have nothing left up to chance."

At a loss of words Troy turns to Chad to see that he is just as shocked as he was. Looking at the schedule, they had drama practice four times a week! And looking at Sharpay there will be no way that he or Chad will get out of this. "What's the play?"

"Huh?" 

Smirking that he caught Sharpay off guard, he uses the same tone of voice that Sharpay used before "What's the play? You said that you already picked it so what are we doing?"

"Oh the play I picked is called 'Can This Marriage Be Saved?'" It was not Sharpay that answered but a very excited Ryan, "it is by Rich Orloff. It is a play about a divorce trial."

"Oh so who is getting divorced? Troy and Sharpay? " Chad asks with humor in his voice.

"Yes, but"

"What no!" Troy looking at Sharpay, just thinking about her conquest of him throughout the summer made him wants to take an F on this assignment. 

She must of saw his look, "Oh please! You are so last year, this year I'm into guys that appreciate the kind of girl I am." Ryan snorts, "What! He does Ry."

"You only found him cause Dad set you up," Ryan gives his sister a knowing glance. 

"You're just jealous!"

"Of what?"

"That set me up with such a great guy and you're all alone"

"I rather be alone than date someone Dad sets me up with. Remember the guy with the…" he gives his sister a look while making a hand gesture that Troy didn't understand. Although he knows that they should be working on their assignment but he is so captivated by the conversation that he only stare at the two attractive blondes. 

"Ry, it's not Dad's fault that the only gay guy that he is able to set you up with is a perv. It's not like he knew that he was going to put his han--"

"Shar!" Ryan looked mortified, "I'm sure that Chad and Troy do not want to hear about that. So where were we?" he asks the other two turning away from his sister.

"The play is about divorce?"

"Yes, the divorce between the Human race and God. I was thinking that Troy would play God, Sharpay the Human Race, Chad the Judge and I will play the Bailiff and direct the play."

"Sounds good, so when do we start?" Chad asks

"If you look at the schedule you would see it starts Saturday. Since we decided to do a play that the school has not put on before we already ordered it and it will arrive at our place on Thursday so we don't have to worry about that. Also since I doubt that either of you will have the space or materials that we will need for practice all rehearsals will take place at our house. Questions?"

"Why Saturday?" 

"Cause this is the only Saturday that there is no basketball and everyone knows that the first run through of a play always takes hours. Saturday nine am, don't be late." Just as Sharpay finishes the class bell rings leaving no time for Chad or Troy to ask anything. 

"Toodles" With a wave of her hand she and Ryan left the theatre.

Since it was the last class of the day for Troy and Chad, they had last period spare, they headed towards the student parking lot.

"So my place or yours?" Troy says as they hop into Troy's Truck.

"I think my Mom wants me to be home for dinner tonight, so you don't mind chillin at my place." Troy nods and pulls out of the parking lot. The ride to Chad's was quick and nothing was said between the two of them as the boys listened to popular rock songs over the radio. 

Walking into Chad's house the boys jumped at the voice that greeted them.

"What? No b-ball today?" as they walked in further they found the voice's owner, Chad's older sister Becky, who sitting on the living room floor with a sketch book in her lap. 

"Shouldn't you be at school?" was Chad's only response as he sat on the sofa, Troy sits on the loveseat.

"Nah, it crit day so we ended early." She starts to put her thing into a hemp messenger bag. 

"I thought that you are only using paint now," Chad asks his sister noticing the pencil and book she placed in her bag. 

Laughing as she stands and walks to the door. "I was but I think the sketching is capturing my ideas better. Well I have to run I forgot something at school." Opening the door she pauses, "and besides paint was so last year," then leaves.

Troy starts laughing remembering how those same words were echoed by Sharpay earlier in the day. Catching on to what Troy thought was funny Chad's "Don't say a word" was barely heard over the laughter.

"Serious, though," Troy finally stops laughing, "This project thing is going to be interesting."

"Only if Sharpay was lying about being over you" he gives Troy an evil smirk. 

"I swear she better be tell the truth, cause this group thing is already going to be painful without her throwing herself at me." seeing that Chad was not following his thoughts, "you never had a rehearsal with her before."

"I did with Ryan, and I kn--"

"So not the same. Sharpay is bad by herself; trust me I know and Ryan is very much a perfectionist, right?" Chad nods, "but when the two of them are together, man, it's worse than practice with Dad before state."

"Ah, but this time around you did not beat them out for the lead and I'm friends with Ryan, so it can't be that bad" pulling out his English novel, "How many chapters are we to read?"

"Only one through five. Hey did you hear about Zeke's baseball plan?"

"Yah, it should be fun. A weekly game, he even got the girls to join."

"All the girls?" Thinking that weekly games with Gabriella will the definition of awkward. 

"Well he didn't invite Sharpay if that is what you mean,"

"I was actually thinking of Gabriella. Smart move though, not telling Sharpay."

"Yeah, especially since we convinced Ryan to play." At Troy's incredulous look, "I know! Some how Zeke got him play, as long as Sharpay can't find out."

"I didn't think Ryan would go anywhere near a baseball after that blow up." He says remembering Ryan's hurt face, Sharpay's anger and Gabi inability to mind her own business. 

"Well he's full of surprises." At that both boys turn to their homework and a comfortable silence fell upon the boys.

For some reason Troy could not focus on his novel his thoughts still on the coffee shop and Ryan. He was hoping that Ryan was ok after and starting to worry about what happened with Sharpay after they left, which is weird because he wasn't worried when it happened. Hoping that Chad could ease his worries, "Speaking of Ryan, is he ok?"

Looking up from his book in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"I mean since the coffee shop," seeing that he now had Chad's full attention, "I know that you talk to him a lot, I'm wondering if he's ok cause he was kinda put in the middle of an intense situation."

"Oh yeah, he's good." Chad didn't sound too convincing though, looking back at Troy, saying the next part slowly "Well, I don't know, he seems good. I think that he wants to be good. We are not all that close, yah know, but there is something there. I still stand that the two of you prob be close if you hung out, he's a cool kid."

"Well, I guess we'll find out won't we? We better get back to studying so your parents can only blame me for corrupting you into sports and not about you failing English" Troy smiles knowing that Chad's parents would prefer him to be in a more artistic crowd, and not spend all his time with jocks.

"Ha ha ha," throwing his book at Troy, "Don't you know? You're the reason for all my faults."

Rolling his eyes Troy just starts to read his book, thinking that he couldn't have a better best friend.


	4. Why are you a Bitch?

At five to nine on Saturday morning Troy's truck pulled into the Evans driveway

**A/N: If you recognize it I do not own it**

**If you like it review if you don't then don't**

**Also I'm using this as a way to practice my writing skills so any constructive criticism would be wonderful **

**Thanks**

At five to nine on Saturday morning Troy's truck pulled into the Evans driveway. Troy was lucky that he was here on time having been woken up by Chad only fifteen minutes before. Troy will never be called a morning person and was known for sleeping past noon without something waking him up. So this 

"Thanks again, I think Sharpay would have killed me if I missed this."

"Trust me I wouldn't of bothered, if you weren't my ride," Chad teases as he exits the car, looking up at the Evans' estate, "they don't do things half way do they?" 

The house was a beautiful three story white manor, a replica of many manors found in the English country side. The entrance way is a large marble staircase with an antique fountain in the middle. The many windows were in French arches some of which to the porches on the second floor. If Troy had to guess the house had to be fifteen hundred square feet alone and he couldn't even see the garage. Shaking his head, "No they don't" Troy agrees, "Haven't you been here before?" thinking that Chad being Ryan's friend for several months that he must of have come over before now.

"Nah, we always met my place or at Lava Springs." Still staring awe of the house, "best we go in." he starts walking up the staircase to the front entrance and knocks on the large oak doors.

The wait for several seconds before any even heard a sound from behind the door and finally after close to a minute of waiting the door is opened to reveal an irritated Sharpay, "bout time you got here," who quickly disappears inside.

Not knowing what to do they follow her into the Evans' grand foyer each looking at her hoping that she will give them some answers about what they are doing.

"Follow me," she quickly starts to walk up the staircase on the right, not wanting to get lost the boys follow her throughout the winding hallways "We are going to be doing rehearsal in our dance studio." When following her, troy realizes this is the most causal that he has ever seen the blonde. Wearing pink Juicy sweat pants, a white sport yoga type tank top with her hair pulled into a messy bun the top of head and no makeup, showing him that Sharpay was not lying when she said that she was over him.

Walking into the room they were greeted by the sight of Ryan doing what looks to be yoga, sitting on his hands upside down facing the door. "Oh, is it nine already?" he asks himself while standing up. "Shar, do you have the scripts ready?" He was dressed just causally as his sister wearing black lululemon yoga pants, a matching white yoga shirt and a hat free head. Being casual really showed off the twins' natural beauty, making Troy wonder why they never looked like this more often.

"They're right here Ry" waving the scripts in front of his face, "God remember who you are talking to." 

"Well I guess we should get started; we have a lot to do," Ryan says with a smile, Troy shares a nervous look with Chad and smiles back at the blonde boy wondering what he just himself into. 

The rehearsals of the play went on for hours. They started out with a simple read through the lines, which then moved into the beginning of staging. Ryan was directing and Troy never thought that he'd see the day that he would miss Darbus' directing. Ryan was hard making them say a line for twenty minutes straight just to get the right emotion across. After several hours of practice Troy was tired and hungry, hoping for a lunch break he started to mess up lines on purpose thinking that they will call for a break for him to clear his mind.

"Troy, messing up your lines is not going to make us break any sooner," Ryan voice dashes his hope for lunch and Troy resumes working hoping that this change in his performance would be rewarded with lunch. The play itself was a very simple one but the way Ryan was directing it would make it seem like it was a script that came off the London stage. Chad did not look to be much better than him looking ready to kill not only Sharpay, but Ryan as well. Thinking that he could avoid a hungry Chad massacre by suggesting lunch but before he could there was a knock on the door.

"Kids?" opening the door slightly Mrs. Evans appears looking like the rich house wife that she is. "I haven't heard anything from you, so I brought up some lunch." She pushes into the room with two maids behind her holding trays of food. 

"But Mom, we don't have time for lunch we ne-" Ryan stood up objecting to the food brought in but his mother cut in before he could finish his thought.

"Really, Ducky, you know how important it is to eat." Placing her hands on her hips while talking to her son, she shifts her gaze, face softening, while turns towards Sharpay, "Now Kitten, make sure Ryan eats and lets these young men have some breaks." After giving Sharpay one final look, that neither Troy nor Chad understood, she and the maids left the room leaving the four teen with lunch.

No one made a move towards the food right away as both Troy and Chad did not want to piss of the Evans'. Still eyeing the food Chad was the one who broke the silence, "So lunch?"

Ryan sighs looking dejected, "Sure, but we have to get back to work right after. No other breaks." 

Not objecting in fear that the petite boy will change his mind Troy sits down and takes a plate of food. Silence once again fell upon the group as the sat in a circle on the floor eating. The silence though was not at all awkward, as Troy would have thought but it gave him a strange sense of comfort.

Although the food was good, a turkey brie strawberry sandwich, Troy got an urge to learn more about the twins in front of him. "Do you always practice this hard for drama class?"

"Of course. This is the most important class to us and perfection takes work." Sharpay answers but the superior tone normally found in her voice was gone. "Besides everyone expects it of us, so we need to be the best. Evans are always the best, right Ry."

Ryan's only response was a rigid nod, preferring to eat his sandwich in silence. Chad seeing his friend curiosity and the fact that he hated silences asks Sharpay his own question.

"Why do you act like a bitch?" this statement causes all three of the room occupants to look at him in shock. "Sorry that came out wrong. What I mean is that from what I hear from Ryan and even Troy here," waving his hand in the brunette's direction, "you're actually a really nice person. So why do you act like a bitch, an ice queen…a…whatever, instead of being…what they said."

Sharpay does not answer right away, giving Troy, a person who spent majority of the summer in her presence, the impression that she was thinking out what exactly words to use rather than an offended silence. "There are many reasons most of which are none of your business, but I will give you a short explanation. I love my family and we are very close but you can see that we are rich." She waits for response Chad's nods hoping that she will continue but waits for Troy's nod, once getting it she goes on.

"Our father is a very successful man and because of that many people want to try and get stuff out of him, many try to use us to do so. We have to be strong in order to protect ourselves and each other" she gives her brother a long sad look. Shaking her head with a smile, "As well our friends are all the same, society people are not nice people as a whole and being around them as much as we are you tend to pick it up. Besides Ryan can be as much as a bitch as me, he just doesn't do it at school."

Not looking convinced at her answer Chad starts questioning her some more "but does not really answer my question. Why act like people are below you? Treating people like that is not protecting yourself all it does is prevent you from having friends."

She gives him a rueful bitter smile, "Some times friends are over rated." Silence fell upon the group as Ryan and Sharpay did not want to expand on her statement while Troy and Chad were thinking about what she meant. 

For some reason, that Troy could not explain, he knew that the reason why she acts that way is because of Ryan. There was something going on in this family, something that has to do with Ryan. All the looks that they gives each other, the looks that they give Ryan gives Troy the feeling that there is something deeper going on than he understands.

"Well since lunch is done, let's back to work we still have so much to do," Ryan brought each out of their thoughts and back into the present moment. Troy stands up ready to start the hell of rehearsal for the second time that day.

The group rehearsed hard for several hours, Ryan barley giving them enough time for water as he became slightly scary when in director mode. It was close to five when the group was winding to an end and both Chad and Troy had to admit that they had a new found respect for the amount of effort that they put into their work. The play was going really good and Troy could see the A in his future if this is how all their practices were going to go. It was a shrill ring from Sharpay's phone that really brought the rehearsal to an end.

"Hello?" Sharpay answers the phone stopping the annoying Fergie ringtone. "Max, how are you?...tonight? Of course I'm free…Seven?... but Ryan does not… okay if your sure…See you then." She hangs up her phone and stands in a hurry while she starts to freak out. "Seven! Seven! How I'm I going to be ready by seven? Ryan what time is it?" Sharpay's demanding tone making an appearance in the room for the first time since lunch.

"Its five to five Shar," Ryan answers his sister with a slight smirk on his face. 

"Rehearsal is over!" She practically screams running around the room grabbing her stuff, "I have to shower and do my hair. Ryan pick out an outfit for me. Something sexy but does not make me look trashy or easy, I so do not want to like those girls, Ry." She runs out of the room without even a glance at the other boys in the room.

"Sorry about her," Ryan makes a hand motion for them to follow him as he leaves the room, "She not used to this dating thing, especially with someone like Max."

"Why is Max different?" Troy asks curious about what makes Max different from himself, the guy Sharpay threw herself at for over a year.

"Oh Max is one of us, a son of a business partner of Dad's. He treats Sharpay really well and he genuinely likes her and because this guy wants to date her, for just being herself bitch and all," smiling at Chad with that line, who chuckles at Ryan, "She does not know how to act. It's like she still trying to convince him that she is a good choice which is something that I find highly amusing." When he pauses Troy realizes that they are back in the front foyer, "Well I guess we have to--"

"Ryan! I forgot to tell you that you're coming too!" Sharpay cuts him off shouting from the top of the Stair case standing in a towel still completely dry. "It's a group thing, the Harvard boys are going to be there, so you have to make yourself presentable!" without waiting for any response she turns and quickly disappears down one of the hallways.

"Sorry, that my queue, but I'll see Monday at school." Opening the door to the basketball players, he hesitates before he adds in a voice quite as a whisper, "Baseball is on Tuesday right?" 

Chad's nods, "Yah, and you are so on my team. We let you get ready so the mountain lion does not kill you," seeing Ryan's look, "Sorry, habit. Have a good night." 

Ryan waves and closes the door. Making the way to his truck Troy starts laughing, Chad not sure what so funny raises an eyebrow. Once inside the cab Troy is able to clam himself down enough to explain, "Sorry, just today was surreal."

"And that is funny?" not following his logic.

"No, I don't know. Its just that if you have told me last year that we were kicked out of a drama rehearsal with the Evans' because Sharpay was nervous for a date and then before we left we confirm the baseball game were going to play with Ryan, I would have never would have believed you."

Shaking his head still not understanding Troy's twisted humor, albeit that being nothing new, "Just drive," Chad just smiles at his friend before turning to look out the window. His friend's reaction causes Troy to smirk as he starts the car and he begins the journey home.


	5. Wait Are you Sober?

When Troy broke up with Gabriella he never thought that he would be sitting in her living room again, well at least not anytime soon, but here he was sitting on the floor watching a movie after the baseball game, weird

**A/N: Thanks for reviewing**

**Anything you recognize I do not own**

**If you like it please review, and if you don't then don't**

**Also if you can give me any tips as to improve my writing, I would be eternally grateful or any comments or questions about the story I would be happy to answer**

**Thanks again,**

**Enjoy**

When Troy broke up with Gabriella he never thought that he would be sitting in her living room again, well at least not anytime soon, but here he was sitting on the floor watching a movie after the baseball game, weird.

The baseball game was good; he had a lot of fun something that he really didn't expect. When he should up to the park ten minutes late he was relived to find that the game hasn't started yet, most because Ryan was missing as well. Once Ryan arrived, like five minutes after Troy, the game went into full swing.

One of the most amusing parts to Troy was the boys decided to divide the group into teams. Chad and Jason were made captains and they practically got into a fist fight about which team Ryan, Kelsi had to intervene reminding them that it was a friendly game between friends, no competition. After that was cleared up, Ryan went on Jason's team to "make things fair"; everyone just had a good time.

Chad was right about Ryan, Troy thought, Ryan is a really good baseball player, but there seemed to be something off when he played. Not off with his game, for he was the best player not that Troy would tell Chad that, but he did not seem to be enjoying it was much as the rest of the gang. He smiled and joked throughout but the smile never reached his eyes and Troy couldn't help noticing that Ryan was always spacing out. Ryan seemed to be going through the motions rather than actually playing, but no one else seems to notice. Troy didn't bring up his thoughts, incase it was nothing or Ryan was still sore about the coffee shop, a day that Troy himself tries to remember.

The game ended pretty early, around six, leading to the reason why Troy was sitting in his ex's living room. It turns out after the staff baseball game everyone went to Gabriella's for a little after party and Zeke when planning asked Gabi if they could continue this so it can be a baseball game tradition. And to Troy's pain, Gabriella being the nice girl she is said yes, at least her mother made really really good brownies.

Troy feels a light brush across his should and noticing that someone is sitting down he turns and to see Gabriella, giving her a hesitant smile, "Hey."

"Hey." She gives s small back. Nothing is said for awhile both just listening to the music playing and the conversations going on in the back round. "This is kinda awkward isn't it?"

"Yeah, kinda." Troy not really trying to change the awkwardness with his reply bring the two back into silence.

"I understand why you did it," her voice was very soft Troy wasn't even sure that he heard her.

"Did what?"

"Broke up with me," That sure caught Troy off guard, seeing that her comment left him speechless, she explained herself. "I mean we weren't working, and stopping it before we hated each other was good. I know now that I don't really love you, sorry for saying that I did."

Now that really shocked Troy, he knew that Gabriella was a smart girl but he didn't even fully understand why he broke up with her and she did? That does not seem right, he tries to open his mouth to say something, anything but was unable to find words.

"I think that you breaking up with me is exactly what I needed. We can become the people we are meant to be and be free to meet the people we are meant to be with. I know you don't really believe in faith all that much, but I do and this got me thinking. Maybe we were meant to happen, we were meant to date so we could change and grow."

Finally finding his voice, "you really thought about this?"

Giggling slightly, "Well Troy you did dump me a few weeks ago and in that time I did some soul searching. I wanted to let you know that ok and that I'm finally ready to move on. And thank you."

Troy, still not believing that this is actually happening, starts rambling firing question after question not giving her a chance to respond. "You're really ok with this? I mean I don't know if I was ok with it? But you really thought about? And don't hate me? You're thanking me? Are you-?"

His effectively cuts him off by placing her hand over her mouth laughing, "Yes, Troy I'm ok, in fact I'm better than ok. The two of us are going to be ok, friends?"

"Friends" saying that put a true genuine smile on Troy's face. All of room stopped when Papa Roach's Last resort staring to blare out of the blackberry on the table. It was not the song that causes the room, but the fact that the song was coming form Ryan's phone.

Ryan though did seem to notice that he was sole focus picked up the phone, "Lee! Now what you doing calling me?"

Because the room became silent with only the quite music playing in the back round, the gang was able to hear the person on the phone. A male voice answers, "What can't a guy call his favorite queen?"

"Ha, ha. Everyone is a comedian, but serious you don't call on Mondays that's your pretend to be a good student day."

"Well something came up and I need to ask you something?"

"Well?"

"Were Sharpay's Harvard boys in town?"

Ryan looks confused and pauses before answering. "Are you calling cause you missed the party? Cause I didn't know until Max called, you know that I wou-"

Lee, the voice, was staring to get very frustrated and impatient. "No, no Ry. This is important!"

"Wait. Are you sober? This must be serious." Troy could see that Ryan was not taking his friend serious, for his voice was light and teasing.

"Ryan! Stop joking, I mean it. Now as your best friend since you were three, I need you to answer me honestly, how much did you drink? Do you remember anything being off?"

This last statement seemed to hit Ryan as his body sits up and stiffens in reaction. He takes a second to think, then answers his voice slow and soft. "I don't know, a lot? I remember most of the night, but the parts that I don't Sharpay was there so she made sure I was ok. Lee, you're scaring me, why do you need to know this?"

"Look some shit is going down here,"

Ryan starts looking worried. "What kinda shit?"

"Some of the old stuff, and we don't know who or why it is happening?"

"What!"

"Look, I just thought I'd let you know what I do, but I don't want to tell you the rest on the phone."

Now it was Ryan voice that is frustrated and the Lee's that is softer as if attempting to reassure Ryan that this is not as bad as he made it out to seem. "Lee, you cannot just not tell me."

"I'm going to fly out this weekend so I'll tell you more than ok."

"Lee!"

"Ry, it probably just nothing, so don't worry."

"How can you tell me to not worry, when I don't even know what is going on."

"Please for me, for your family don't stress about this, Kay. I'll see this weekend, hopefully with more information. Bye Queen."

Looking slightly defeated and knowing that he is not getting any more information from the phone call, Ryan does not press for more answers. "Bye, Lee." Hanging up the phone, Ryan noticed that everyone was listening to his conversation and flushed in embarrassment.

Seeing Ryan discomfort Troy, doing something he normally does not do, tries to place the room's attention off the blonde and on to himself, "I think that we should do karaoke."

This causes Chad and Gabi to burst out laughing as they both know how much Troy hates karaoke, which then leads to confusion to the rest not sure what humor is in karaoke. Once Gabriella calms herself down and stops laughing she, like she understood what Troy were thinking-which is happening a lot lately it seemed, thought that it was time for everyone to leave. "We _do _have school tomorrow," was her only response when questioned.

Troy leaves and sits in his truck thinking outside his own house unable to go in. What just happened? There is a lot going on with Ryan and he does not understand any of it. The phone call, the baseball game, Sharpay and Harvard boys, Ryan is a complex guy with so much surrounding him. He came up with a realization before he finally entered his house, Ryan is a mystery, and it was up to him to solve it.


	6. Beauty and the Beast

Well it has been just over a week since the first baseball game and Troy was still no closer to understanding Ryan

**A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews and comments!!**

**If you recognize anything than I don't own it**

**I hopefully did a bit better than before so it's easier to read but I still would like any honest feed back about the story or my writing for I'm doing this as a way to improve my writing skills**

**A got a question about whether Sharpay and Chad are going to get together and I'm not sure if they are. It depends how the story develop. For although I have the main plot planned out, some parts will change as the story goes on.**

Well it has been just over a week since the first baseball game and Troy was still no closer to understanding Ryan.

Not only was the phone conversation never brought up, but no one even knows who the Lee guy who called is. The phone call also seemed to affect Ryan's behaviour. Although he seemed to be acting normal, Troy thought that Ryan was just putting on the act trying to fool everyone to believe that he

In fact Troy is the only one to see anything different with Ryan and it made him really frustrated. The only thing everyone could see a difference in is that Sharpay seemed to be hovering around Ryan a lot while glaring at anyone who questions why.

"Troy, you paying attention?" Ryan says looking at Troy, his face communicating that Troy's answer better be yes. They are in drama class rehearsing the play, _again_, when Troy started to zone out when Ryan was talking.

"Yeah," Troy replies seeing that their whole drama group is staring at him.

"Then what did I just say?" Ryan questions sounding a lot like his sister.

Troy just looks at Ryan in disbelief. Was he serious? That is a question that a teacher or girlfriend usually asks and Ryan was neither.

"I knew you weren't paying attention." Ryan said his tone wasn't accusatory but rather calm like he was stating a fact. "Since I have to repeat myself," he adds giving Troy a dirty look, "you two free tonight? Because we are taking you to the theatre."

"What?" Chad said shocked, making Troy somewhat happy that he wasn't the only one that wasn't paying attention till now.

"Do you have plans cause we're taking you to the theatre?" Sharpay responded to Chad's question as thou she were talking to a mentally slow five year old.

"No we're good," Troy replies looking at Chad for conformation. Seeing Chad's nod Troy continues, "So what's the play?"

Sharpay smiles evilly, "A musical. Beauty and the Beast."

Chad groans and slumps deeper into his seat, "does it have to be Disney?"

Sharpay continues ignoring Chad's comment, "So meet us at our house around five, so we can have dinner before."

Before the group could resume their rehearsal Troy asks a question, "Why are you taking us to a play."

With an overdramatic sigh and rolling of his eyes Ryan answers, "Because this way the two of you will get to see a real theatre production." Lifting a hand for silence and adding, "No Twinkle Town does not count."

Looking over and sharing a look with Chad, they have no idea about what they are getting themselves into.

Troy pulls into Chad's driveway and honks his horn telling Chad that he is outside. After waiting for ten minutes and honking his horn enough times to get dirty looks from the neighbours Troy gets out of his truck and knocks the door.

The door opens to reveal an irritated Chad, "Sorry but--"

A female voice from inside the house interrupts Chad before he could finish what he was saying. "Who is at the door?"

If this was possible Chad seemed to get more irritated and angry at that before replied back, to who Troy could guess was Chad's mother, in snarky voice, "Troy like I said it would be."

Mrs. Danforth has yet to make an appearance at the door her voice however was perfectly clear allowing both boys to hear the sarcastic tone "Well if he just knock on the door in the first place and not honk his horn like a barbarian then he would not have waited for so long. Invite him in."

Chad rolls his eyes and opens the door further allowing Troy to enter, "We have to do now or we're going to be late."

"Basketball can wait Chad," Mrs. Danforth stood in living room now visible to Troy whose standing in the entrance way.

"Basketball? We're going to a play." Troy asked confused.

That seemed to catch Mrs. Danforth off guard, "You're seeing a play?" looking sceptically at Troy and Chad, now wearing his coat ready to go.

"Yeah. The Evans are taking us to Beauty and the Beast tonight." Chad replied and without waiting for a response from his mother he walks out the door dragging Troy with him.

Once inside his truck and on their way to meet the Evans, Troy speaks up, "What was that all about?"

Chad looking out the window answers, "What?"

"The thing with your mother? Why did your mother think that we were going to Basketball?" Troy asks again raising his eyebrow at his dark skinned friend.

"Oh that." Chad said.

"Yeah that."

"We got into another fight about sports again." Chad starts, Troy seeing that there is more to it nods his head for Chad to continue. "She thinks that I need new types of friends, that basketball is hindering me not helping me. She was saying that I will never get anywhere in life with the amount of time I spend on sports."

"How did this start?" Troy asks once Chad pauses and doesn't look like he was going to finish.

"I brought up the scholarship that Ryan was going to help me get," Chad replies with a small smile at his friend. Ryan, like his sister did for Troy, got their father to pull some strings at U of A about giving Chad a scholarship for his many sports.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Troy said not sure why a scholarship would cause a fight, thinking about his parent's reactions to what was happening to him during the summer.

"I guess my parents thought that once I was in university that I would give up sports, not get a free education because of it."

"Man, I don't think I could ever understand your parents." Troy says with a smile trying to lighten the serious mood that seemed to fell upon them. His only response was silence.

When the reached the Evans' but before the knocked Chad broke the silence, "Can I crash your place tonight?"

Playfully shoving Chad with his shoulder Troy responds, "Do you even have ask."

Chad smile back then turns to the door but it opens before the boys have a chance to knock.

"Hi." Ryan greeted them enthusiastically, "I heard your truck pull up." He waves them inside. Once inside Ryan looks critically at what they are wearing with an unreadable expression on his face. "You clean up nice, surprisingly."

Troy was a dark navy fitted jean, the nicest pair that he owns. He wore a black blazer over top a coral blue button up shirt, taking the advice that Sharpay mentioned in the summer. Troy also made the point to wear black shoes and belt had to make sure that they matched.

Chad was also wearing dark jeans but his were a bit lighter and looser fitted than Troy's. His shoes and belt were brown matching his dark brown fitted corduroy jacket over top of a nice fitted white shirt.

Shifting his feet awkwardly Chad replies, "Thanks."

"Ryan! Have you seen my Chanel purse?" Sharpay appeared at the top of the staircase, reminding Troy of the end of his first visit here.

"Which one?" Ryan yelled back.

"The black one! God Ryan why would I want the white one if I'm wearing black?"

Ignoring the last part of her comment Ryan responds, "Check the left side of your closet. I think you left it there after our last trip to New York."

"So where are we eating?" Troy asks Ryan as they wait for Sharpay to find her purse.

"Oh it's this really nice pasta place me and Shar found." Ryan says smile.

At that moment Sharpay enters the entrance way looking holding her purse proudly. "Ryan we have to leave now or we're going to miss the reservations." She grabs his hand and pulls out him the door, her other hand indicating that the two wildcats should follow.

As the Troy and Chad move toward Troy's truck Sharpay's voice stop them, "It would be best if we all go together don't you think?"

"Probably, they don't know where the restaurant is and it would make parking at the theatre easier." Ryan mused out loud as he follows Sharpay into their garage.

Seeing that they had no say in the matter, Troy and Chad follows the twins as well. Once inside the garage both boys freeze in shock. They have never seen so many nice cars in one place; it was better than being at an auto show.

"Chad? Troy?" Ryan's voice broke them out of stunned state. Looking around the garage wondering which of these beautiful cars the twins were in, Chad groans when he sees them sitting in a familiar pick convertible.

"Of all the cars you own we're going in the pink one." Chad groans sitting in the back seat with Troy.

"Sorry, my car only seats two," Ryan said apologetically as Sharpay pulls out of the driveway.

Interested Troy asks, "Which car is yours?"

"The yellow one." Ryan responds. There was no need to further explain as there was only one yellow car in the garage, a vintage European Porsche.

"Nice," Troy and Chad say at the same time.

Dinner with the Evans was pretty much uneventful however the restaurant surprised Troy for it was not was he expecting the twins to pick. It was a small hole in wall kind of place but at the same time was cozy and trendy, something one does not usually associate with a pasta restaurant or the Evans twins.

The conversation was light not really important was discussed, mostly school related things, so Troy didn't get anything to help him solve his mystery. Troy also couldn't bring up the phone conversation when Sharpay wasn't to know about the baseball games.

They arrived at the theatre about fifteen minutes before the play was to start. Although he should have expected it, Troy was amazed at the seats that they had, private centre second balcony seats.

"Wow." Was all that Chad could say when he saw the seats.

"Mother and Father gave us season tickets to the theatre for our birthday. Isn't it fabulous?" Sharpay said when seeing their reactions, sitting down in the far right seat.

Troy nods as he takes his seat in the middle left seat with Ryan to his right, sitting next to his sister and Chad to his left. Having Ryan sit next him somehow gave Troy some comfort but he was not sure why. Before Troy could dwell in his feelings the band started to play alerting him that the play is about to begin.

The play was one of the most beautiful things that Troy has seen and even thou it was a musical he was really enjoying himself. His favourite part so far was the song Gaston, although many parts were similar to the Disney movie, there were parts added to make it more like a musical found in theatre and not in a cartoon.

Suddenly he felt something press against his right hand, seeing that its Ryan's hand he turns his attention to the blonde boy.

"This is my favourite song," was Ryan's whispered response to Troy look.

Not sure what song was next Troy starts to pay rapid attention to the play, the next song becoming very important to him. Once the music started Troy felt stupid for not knowing what song it was going to be, Be Our Guest. The song was amazing but the only thing that Troy could really pay attention to was Ryan's hand over his, this not changing until intermission.

In intermission Troy finally got his chance to question Ryan as they were left alone at the seats when Sharpay and Chad left to get drinks.

"So do you like the play?" Ryan asks as Sharpay and Chad leave.

Nodding, Troy answers, "It's amazing. Do your parents normally come with you and Sharpay?"

"Not always," Ryan says turning his gaze away from Troy and onto the stage, "we bring friends sometimes."

"Do you bring the guy on the phone, Lee?" Troy asks hesitantly. Seeing the boy next to him tense he quickly adds, "I'm sorry, forget I said anything."

After a slight pause Ryan looks back at Troy making eye contact, "its ok. Yeah, sometimes we bring Lee when he is town."

Since Troy was finally getting answers from Ryan he pushes to see how he can actually get, "So how do you know Lee?"

Ryan smiles at Troy shaking his head slightly, "You don't give up do you?" Seeing Troy's smirk he adds, "Lee is my best friend known him since I was five and he was six, he's like an older brother to me."

"But he doesn't live here, isn't that hard?" Troy said thinking how hard it would be to have Chad live somewhere else.

"Sometimes. He lives in New York with a lot of our friends so me and Shar go there often, but he sometimes visits here like last weekend."

"Oh, how was that?" although Troy made the question seem innocent enough, he could tell that Ryan knew what he really meant: the phone call. Luckily for Ryan before he got the chance to answer Sharpay and Chad enter the balcony cutting their conversation short.

The rest of the play finished pretty quickly, the second half of a play is almost always shorter. After the play ended Troy noticed that Ryan was still tense from his questioning earlier and started to feel guilt in the pit of his stomach. Why was he feeling guilty? And why does he care so much about Ryan's feelings.


	7. Many Important Conversations of Nothing

**Thanks again for reviewing**

**If you recognize it I don't own it**

**Review if you like it don't if you don't **

**Any honest feedback would be great**

* * *

It was Saturday night and Troy was lying in his bed instead of going out. It seems that was how he was spending a lot of his time lately, thinking about Ryan rather than actually doing anything. A soft knock on his bedroom door made Troy sit up in his bed but before he could respond his Father's deep voice quickly followed.

"Troy?"

After mumbling a quick come in his father, Jack Bolton, entered his room and sits in the chair next to Troy's bed facing his son.

"What's up?" Troy asks after his father doesn't say anything although he is still staring at the roof.

"I'm worried about you son." Whatever Troy was expecting that was not it.

"What why?" He turns so that he is facing his father.

"You're more distracted lately. I know that you broke up with Gabriella but that is not is reason is it?" Jack was fishing for information about his son's difference.

Troy gives a small sigh before answering, "No it's Ryan."

"The Evans' boy?"

"Yeah him," Troy says softy. Seeing that his father is waiting for him to explain he adds, "There is something about him that I don't get. He's like a mystery that I have to solve. I feel that if I find out everything will be ok and my life will make sense again. That I need to save him, I just don't know from what."

"You feel very passionately about Ryan." His father replies softy.

"I guess I do." Troy answers rolling on to his side so that his back was facing Jack.

Nothing was said right away, and seeing that Troy was in no hurray to "It's ok to feel that way"

"What way?" Troy not getting what his father was implying turning around to face him again.

Jack Bolton takes a deep breath and says slowly and clearly, "Troy, if you have feelings for Ryan that's ok"

"Dad, I don't like Ryan like that. I just want to understand him."

"Just remember that no matter what your mother and I will always love you and we're here to listen."

"I know"

Smiling and standing up "Well it's late and we old people have to be in bed early." Before he leaves he pauses to ruffle Troy's hair, "Good night Champ."

"Night Dad," Troy says as his dad exits his room.

Troy is now more confused that he had been previously. His father thought he was gay and is ok with that. That surprises him somewhat, not that he thought he Father was a raging homophobe, but things are always different when it comes to one's own son.

But was he gay? Troy didn't know if his sudden interest in Ryan was because he wanted to solve a mystery or was because he was developing feels for the blonde. Nah, Troy is the same straight, basketball playing guy that he always was. Only know he has a mysterious blond to figure out.

* * *

Today was the day that they had to their presentation in drama and Troy was nervous all day. Since his conversation with his father Troy was questioning his feelings toward the blond haired boy and everyday see him in rehearsal it just made him more and more confused.

This confusion leads to some awkward situations with Ryan, when he would not so subtlety asks about Lee and the phone call and Ryan would freeze up while looking an escape from the questioning. Even thou Troy did not get any new information he spends even more of his time thinking, in fact it was getting so bad Jason even noticed.

"Troy? You ok?" Chad asks standing next Troy's locker.

Forcing a smile, Troy replies "Yeah. I'm fine, just nervous."

"Well we should head to class, don't want to face the wrath of Mrs. Darbus if we're late" Chad asks.

"Darbus? I would be more worried about the Evans' wrath if we are late" Troy smirked thinking about Sharpay's known rage and Ryan's overzealous attitude when it comes to something he directs. The two of them seem to have control issues.

The mention of being on the end of Sharpay's fury causes Chad to wince, "Either way we should get a move on, I prefer to keep all of my body parts intact"

Troy shakes his head in amusement as the two silently wander hall in the direction of the theatre.

Before they could fall into silence which seems to be happening more often Chad says, "You're not acting like yourself."

Troy glances at Chad confusion clearly displayed on his face, "Like I was this summer?"

Chad shakes his head, "No this time is completely different. You're silent, always thinking. Your not outgoing anymore, it's like you're depressed but I know you're not."

Not knowing what to say Troy responds, "Oh,"

Seeing that he was going to push Troy to some answers Chad asks, "What are you always thinking about?"

Troy gaze was now fixed on the tiled floor as he answers, "Ryan."

"Is this about the baseball thing?"

Pausing slightly before answering, "No…Yes…I dunno it's complicated" Confusion and frustration lacing Troy's voice.

"Just let it go. I know Ryan, if he wants something to be a secret there is no way anyway you're going find out" Chad's says desperately trying to get Troy to give up his wild goose chase of Ryan.

"I know you don't believe me, but there is something going on with that—"

"Took you long enough! We are the going first so get changed." Sharpay's shrill voice interrupts Troy, making him notice that they are in drama class.

Taking a deep breath Troy trying to calm himself down, all the while praying to God that his nerves will not screw this up.

* * *

Their one act play was good, really good. Troy got his nerves under control making this one of his best acting performances to date. Mrs. Darbus actually gave Ryan's directing a standing ovation for his ability to make a slightly religious play as interesting and emotion driven as it was.

Sharpay decided that since she once again was perfection on stage that they to celebrate this fact, and because of that Troy finds himself sitting in the Evans' living room in a pretty good party.

"Why are you sitting here all by yourself?" a soft deep voice altered Troy to Ryan sitting down beside him.

"Didn't you get the memo? It's what all the cool kids are doing it" Troy says with a slightly teasing tone.

"And Sharpay told me she was in the loop, how wrong I was" Ryan plays along before adding, "Seriously, why are you sitting alone in a middle of a party."

"I seem to have a lot of things on my mind." Troy turns so that he and Ryan are directly facing each other initiating a more serious conversation.

Ryan gives a bemused smile, keeping his tone light "You don't know?"

Ignoring the teasing jibe Troy continues, "I been told that I'm acting differently, but I just thinking a lot more. There are things that I don't understand and I feel that once I get that understanding everything will make sense. Yah know?"

Ryan doesn't say a word instead he nods his head and his eyes soften slightly telling Troy to continue. This small gesture creates a warm bubbly feeling in Troy making him feel better.

Troy continues, "Its weird cause since I broke up with Gabi my life has gotten way more confusing and complicated."

Ryan gives Troy an encouraging smile, "What is making it that way?"

Troy looks down at his hands mumbling, "I really don't want to say."

Ryan places his hand over Troy's, "It can't be that bad, trust me"

Not liking where the conversation was going Troy remembers the last time Ryan's hand was on his saying, "How's Lee?"

Although Ryan didn't stiffen he pulls his hand away, bringing back the teasing tone to his voice, "Oh I see how you work,"

Playing along Troy smirks and uses the same tone, "I wasn't trying to be sneaky, I'm just curious"

Ryan raises an eyebrow, "About my friendship with Lee?"

Leaning back on the couch keeping up the banter Troy playfully says, "Don't forget about the phone call…"

Ryan softly laughs and shakes his head at Troy, "Now that was subtle,"

Smirking Troy says, "I wasn't trying to be. So what happened during that phone call Ryan?"

This then shifted the mood of their conversation making serious once again. Ryan than looked away from Troy to stare at his folded hand in his lap, this being the first time since he sat next to the burnet that he was not looking at him. "Why do you care?"

Not expecting this reaction Troy sits up and raises Ryan's head with his hand making direct eye contact with the blond, "I just want to know. I don't think you realized this, but you changed after it"

Ryan's face showed his confusion, "I did. How?"

Not knowing the right way to answer Troy takes a deep breath and fumbles with a response, "I dunno, I can't pin point a whole bunch of examples it's just your presence is different."

"My presence but—" Ryan stops suddenly his head cocking to the side, before adding, "I love this song! We have to dance come on"

Troy smiles as the blonde pulls him to the make-shift dance floor. He may not have gotten anymore answers and he may be even more confused about his feelings but all he knows that there is no where else he rather be than dancing next to the bubbly petite blonde.

**

* * *

**

Thanks


	8. Kiss Me!

Sorry it's been a while but here it is hopefully it doesn't suck

If you seen it before than i do not own it

IF you like it than review if not than don't

Enjoy

A bright blue sunny afternoon met Troy as he pulled up into the baseball felid's parking lot. Since the night of the Evan's party Troy was staring to become his good self. He told corny jokes, was goofing off with Chad, and finally breaking out of his inner conflicts that caused even Jason to beat him at one on one.

As he walked up to the group he notices that he once again that he is the last arrive, once he was in speaking distance he asks, "How do you get here so fast?"

"We unlike you are able to get here on the agreed upon time, even Sharpay doesn't show up fashionably late as much as you do," He was expecting the teasing remark from Chad or even Gabriella but it came from Ryan which left him completely speech less.

Chad seeing his inability to talk says, asks with a slight laugh "Alright there, Troy?" amusement shining through his eyes.

A dark blush covers Troy's face as he finally finds is lost voice, "Peachy."

"So I'm Ryan's team," Jason's voice shift's the gangs attention from Troy to him, causing him to shuffle his feet uncomfortably from the stares. "What?" He says defensively, "I'm the only one who has never been on his team and it would be nice to win for once."

Ryan shakes his head in laughter while saying, "Come on Jason we'll pitch first," leaving the rest of the gang to spilt up into teams.

It was about an hour into the game and Troy found himself sitting beside Ryan waiting for their next turn to bat. Troy being on Ryan's team was unsurprisingly on the winning team.

"So you haven't asked today." Ryan says to Troy nudging his shoulder into Troy's.

Troy not sure to what Ryan is referring responds, "And what should I be asking?"

A smirk settles on Ryan's pink lips when he says, "About Lee of course." Seeing the look of confusion appearing on Troy's face Ryan continues, "Well ever since we went to the theatre you been asking me about Lee and you haven't today."

Turning towards Ryan Troy says with a slightly dejected tone, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be bothering you with my questions so— "

Ryan cuts Troy apology off, "I didn't say it was bothering me, I actually come to look forward to it."

This puts a smile on Troy's face when responding with a questioning, "Oh?" wanting Ryan to further explain.

"Well I kind of made it a guessing game about when and where you'll ask. Will it happen in school or at a coffee shop when we accidently run into each other? But do you know what the best part of the game is Troy?"

Troy shakes his head no, but the smile on his face and the twinkle in his eye shows his amusement at the situation.

"That I don't know how you will bring the topic up. Surprising for a boy who can barley pass English, I sit behind you I seen your essays." Ryan laughs at the glare that Troy is giving him before he continues, "that you have rarely brought the topic the same way more than once. It's an interesting game you see, I was thinking about inventing others to join. What do you think?"

Troy leans back on his hands and says, "So are you ever going to tell me more about Lee?"

Ryan smiles charming at Troy, "Well since I brought it up I guess I could say a few things."

"Ryan!" Gabriella yells from first base snapping the boys out of the bubble their conversation put them in, "Your turn to bat."

Standing up Ryan turns to Troy before walking on to the field saying, "You really don't have very much luck do you? Let the game continue."

Troy just fell backward onto the ground in disbelief thinking, not again!

* * *

Walking toward his locker to get his math text book for next period, Troy was surprised when Sharpay shrill yell stopped him. "Troy!"

Turing toward the pretty blonde girl, Troy responds hesitantly, "Yes Sharpay?"

Sharpay smiles, "Walk with me?"

Seeing that her question was really a command Troy quickly changes textbooks and falls in step as they make their way to math class.

Sharpay not being the one to beat around the bush about things that she wants to know asks Troy, "Are you into my brother?"

Whatever Troy was expecting her to say, that was not it making his only coherence response a, "huh?"

Letting a frustrated sigh escape her lips, Sharpay repeats herself with a very condescending tone, "Do you like my brother? Does he make you happy in your boy places? Is he the star of your wet dre—"

"I got it Sharpay!" Troy yells effectively stopping the blonde from saying anything that could make his already crimson face resemble the colour of his wildcat jersey.

"Well?" She asks expectantly rising one of her perfectly shaped eyebrows in his direction.

"No, I don't like you brother that way. Why does everyone keep thinking that?" Troy asks completely frustrated.

Sharpay smirks, "Well who else thinks that?"

Troy finds himself telling her the truth, "My father and Chad."

That caught Sharpay slightly off guard; her voice is laced with disbelief "Coach thinks you like my brother?"

Troy gives her a half smile happy to see her slightly more human side, "Oh yeah says he ok with it."

Having remained her composure Sharpay smirk returns, causing Troy to frown slightly knowing that she is plotting something, after a slight pause she says, "Well how about I help you?"

"Help with what?" Troy answers with caution knowing that Sharpay's plans never go the way that she hopes, most plans involving him anyway.

"With what your feeling about my brother of course." She says while turning down a hallway in the opposite direction of their math class.

"Sharpay where are we going?" Troy asks as he tries to keep up with her increasing speed.

"To the parking lot, we can't go to math class when we need to find out your sexuality." Sharpay says this as it is the most obvious thing in the world.

"I'm Straight Sharpay" Troy says as they enter the parking lot and walk toward her pink convertible.

Sitting in drivers seat Sharpay places her Dior sunglasses on her face, she turns to Troy saying "Well that is what we are trying to find out Troy. Now should we go the one on third or the one down town?"

Although he should be used to being confused around Sharpay, Troy once again is at a loss of words thinking that he must have missed something. Third? Downtown? Why would we go there?

Mistaking Troy's confusion for the inability to make a decision Sharpay makes the decision herself, "I like the Starbucks downtown better myself"

Starbucks! I should have known, Troy thought as they pull out of the parking lot. After a moment of awkward silence where the soundtrack of a musical that Troy didn't recognize was blaring from the speakers, Troy says "So how exactly are you going to help me?"

Sharpay tilts her head to the side as thou she is thinking, but to Troy it only looks like a pose, saying "Well first we need to find out why everyone thinks you like him. Personally I think it's the constant questions about his past, I mean why else are you so interested in that if you weren't trying to get in his pants. Second we"

"Wait!" Troy interrupts Sharpay, "So you think that I like Ryan because I want to know about Lee and his past? I'm his friend; friends like to know things about each other." Troy voice was perhaps a bit more defensive than it needed to be when he said that and Sharpay notices again raising an eyebrow, as if to say sure.

They are in silence as they enter the Starbucks parking lot and don't say anything until they are both seated with their drinks. Troy with a Mocha and Sharpay with something so many names that Troy was sure she must have contradicted herself at least once.

"So, "Sharpay asks, "Why do you care about Lee?"

Troy collects his thoughts for a moment before answering, "I don't really care about Lee, I care about the change that Ryan went through." Sharpay does not say anything causing Troy to add, "You remember the night where you and Gabi got in a fight, well since then Ryan was acting differently since then and I wondering why. It was weird because the need to find out Ryan consumed me, changed me. Then I found out about Lee, and I though that if I found out about him everything would make sense."

Sharpay snort pulls Troy out of thoughts, "And you say that you don't like my brother."

Glaring at Sharpay Troy retorts, "I don't"

Sharpay sits up straighter her stance making it look as if she were challenging him, "You notice a change in after a fight. Thoughts of him consume your life so much that you act like a different person and you want to know about his best. Sounds like you like him to me."

"Well I don't. Well I don't think I do. Do I?" Troy's defensive tone is gone and replaced with a lost and confused one.

"Well that leads us to the second part of my plan to find your sexual orientation. Kiss me." Sharpay orders her tone completely serious.

"What! Don't you have a boy friend?" was Troy's bewildered response.

Rolling her eyes Sharpay replies, "Yes, but he isn't going to care. Now kiss me."

Moving down farther back into the chair and away from Sharpay Troy asks, "How will me kissing you going to help me find out if I like your brother?"

Smirking Sharpay responds, "I'll let you know once you do it."

Seeing that he has no choice Troy leads in to kiss her. She is pretty, he thinks, flawless tan skin, ocean blue eyes and a very fit body but not as nice as Ryan's. Ryan skin is not tan like his sisters but perfectly pale and his eyes glow more than hers always showing his emotions.

Troy is only a breath away from kissing Sharpay and he is comparing her to her brother. Wondering how soft Ryan's lips soft pink would be and what he would taste like. Then it hit Troy like a ton of bricks, it is true. His father, Chad and Sharpay were all right. He likes Ryan.

Suddenly pulling away from Sharpay before their lips meet Troy says, "I can't!"

Instead of seeing a look of hurt or anger on Sharpay's face, something one would expect when a boy pulls away violently in order not to kiss you, a smirk was resting on her lips. "Why?" she asks.

Wondering if he should tell her or keep on denying it Troy says, "Because I like your brother."

"Exactly."

* * *

thanks


End file.
